The Environmental Protection Network was launched in January 2017 to harness the expertise of former EPA career staff and confirmation-level appointees from multiple administrations to provide an informed and rigorous defense against efforts to undermine the protection of public health and the environment.
Mustafa Santiago Ali, EPN member and former EPA Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization and Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice was quoted in this article regarding testimony he gave during a Congressional hearing entitled, “Pollution and Pandemics: COVID-19’s Disproportionate Impact on Environmental Justice Communities.” Mustafa was quoted in a similar article by Michigan Advance.
David Coursen, EPN member and former attorney in EPA’s Office of General Counsel, penned this op-ed concerning the disproportionate share of pollution that occurs in low-wealth communities and communities of color.
Mustafa Santiago Ali, EPN member and former EPA Senior Advisor for Environmental Justice and Community Revitalization and Assistant Associate Administrator for Environmental Justice, was quoted in this article on the Trump administration’s decision to retain existing particulate matter standards and the harm it will have on communities of color.
EPN was mentioned in this article on the asbestos draft risk evaluation under the Toxic Substance Control Act.
EPN members Penny Fenner-Crisp, former Senior Science Advisor to the Director, EPA Office of Pesticide Programs, and Gary Timm, former EPA Chief, Chemical Testing Branch, EPA Office of Pollution Prevention and Toxics, were quoted in this article on the draft risk evaluation for perchloroethylene under the Toxic Substances Control Act.
Bob Sussman, EPN member and former EPA Deputy Administrator, was quoted in this article on EPA’s draft risk evaluation for perchloroethylene under the Toxic Substance Control Act.
John Bachmann, EPN member and former Associate Director for Science/Policy and New Programs, EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, was quoted in this article on EPA’s decision to not tighten Particulate Matter standards. John also was quoted in a similar article by Public News Service.
Steve Silverman, EPN member and former Attorney, Office of General Counsel, was quoted in this article on EPA’s supplementary proposal to its “censored science” rule.
EPN members Jeff Cohen, former EPA Senior Manager, Office of Atmospheric Programs, Office of Air and Radiation; Mike Shapiro, former Deputy Assistant Administrator, EPA Office of Water; and Betsy Southerland, former Director of the Office of Science and Technology in EPA’s Office of Water were quoted in this article on the Trump administration’s proposed rollback to the Lead and Copper Rule and how it will increase hazardous exposure to lead in drinking water.
George Wyeth, EPN member and former EPA attorney and policy analyst, was quoted in this article on a proposed EPA rule that would make it more difficult for the agency to issue guidance documents.
EPN members penned their own op-eds on enforcement during the COVID-19 pandemic and on water policies.
David Coursen, EPN member and former EPA Office of General Counsel, penned this op-ed concerning an executive order that would continue to relax restrictions on polluters by easing the enforcement of the rules during the pandemic.
EPN members Jeff Peterson former Senior Policy Advisor, EPA Office of Water, and Betsy Southerland, former Director of the Office of Science and Technology in EPA’s Office of Water, published this op-ed on the lack of science used in the creation of water policies under the Trump administration.
In addition to the news articles above, EPN members contributed to a range of articles on topics such as ozone levels, the National Environmental Policy Act, science, cost-benefit analysis, the Clean Water Act, and Trump’s environmental waivers,
John Bachmann, EPN member and former Associate Director for Science, Policy and New Programs, EPA Office of Air Quality Planning and Standards, was quoted in this article on the rise of ground-level ozone in Phoenix despite a drop in automobile traffic.
Joel Mintz, EPN member and former EPA Enforcement and Supervisory Attorney, was quoted in this article on a recent executive order by President Trump that asks federal agencies to waive environmental reviews on infrastructure projects being built during the pandemic. Joel was quoted in similar articles by S&P Global, Utility Dive, the Inquisitr, The Architects Newspaper, the Global Government Forum, and Red Green & Blue.
Bernard Goldstein, M.D., EPN member and former chair, EPA Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee and EPA Assistant Administrator for Research and Development, was quoted in this article regarding EPA’s combative relationship with mainstream science.
Dan Costa, EPN member and former National Program Director, EPA Air, Climate, and Energy Research Program, was quoted in this article on EPA’s draft rule, which would overhaul its cost-benefit forecasting.
Mark Ryan, EPN member and former EPA Regional Counsel, Region 10, was quoted in this article regarding EPA’s capacity to develop guidance based on the Supreme Court’s ruling against the administration’s interpretation of the Clean Water Act.
Betsy Southerland, EPN member and former Director of the Office of Science and Technology in EPA’s Office of Water, was quoted in this article on the Trump administration’s environmental rollbacks during the COVID-19 pandemic. Betsy was quoted in a similar article by Planetizen.
